Although a sign at the door says "Indian Fast Food," Bombay Sweets (19555 W. Bluemound Rd.) is worth a leisurely visit. The daily buffet ($7.50 lunch, $8.50 dinner) should be explored from end to end.
The restaurant's name will already be familiar to lovers of Indian food, especially vegetarians and Bay View residents, who long have known of the original Bombay Sweets (3401 S. 13th St.). Housed inside a storefront of unpromising appearance, the Bay View location serves some of the area's most unusual (and inexpensive) Indian dishes. True to its name, Bombay Sweets also offers a lavish array of delightful and exotic desserts.
At the new Brookfield branch of Bombay Sweets, a deli case displays a fair sample of the famous desserts. Set back from busy Bluemound in a nondescript strip mall, the interior is nothing fancy but attractive, furnished with comfortable booths and tables. Instrumental Indian pop music provides sonic ambiance. Bombay Sweets has become popular in Waukesha Country for carry-outs, but it pays to stick around for the buffet-especially if you are hungry.
A recent noontime visit found a mixture of the familiar and the unusual on the buffet line. Crispy crepes called utappam and a vegetable and cheese stew (navratan korma) shared the table with a good chicken curry (the meat tender and falling off the bones) and a tasty vegetable biryani. The tandoori chicken was dry, a common problem at local Indian restaurants, but the eggplant and pea dish was a zesty alternative.
Bombay Sweets is praiseworthy for not dialing down the spices to the low common denominator of American taste. The flavors of many dishes, from the saag paneer (spinach and cheese) to the goat curry, are robust. Even the mint chutney, which goes well with the warm naan bread brought to your table straight from the kitchen, is a flavorful treat.
Bombay Sweets is open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. Call (262) 780-2998 for carry-outs.
